Clarinet



R. MAZZEO CLARINET Sept. 7, 1965 Filed Aug. 18, 1964 United States Patent p O 3,204,512 CLARINET Rosario Mazzeo, Symphony Hall, Boston, Mass. Filed Aug. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 390,398 9 Ciaims. (C1. 84-382) The present invention relates to improvements in a clarinet, and more particularly to improvements in a Boehm system clarinet having a finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism of the general type described and illustrated in my U.S. patent for Clarinet, No. 2,867,146, patented January 6, 1959.

The finger control throat note Bb producing mechanisrn referred to comprises a throat note Bb tone hole, a normally closed pad on said Bb tone hole, a Bb lever carrying said pad, and spring means biasing said Bb lever and pad to open, in combination with interlocking devices, controlled by the pressing of the finger hole ring associated with the first finger tone hole left hand, or by the pressing of the thurnb hole closing key, for maintaining the Bb lever and pad closed, and permissive operating connections between said Bb lever and any one of a plurality of finger control elements employed to produce lower notes of the instrument which operate when pressed while the first finger hole ring left hand and the thumb hole closing plate key are released, and when throat note A key is pressed to permit the opening of said Bb lever and pad to sound Bb.

The Bb producing mechanism referred to has greatly facilitated the playing of passages, and more especially fast passages, which extend from one to another register of the instrument. It has been found, however, that any inaccuracies or failures of finger techniques such, for example, as the uneven raising or lowering of the fingers at the turn may cause either an imperfectly eXecuted, or unwanted operation of the Bb mechanism with the result that a false note or hesitancy may be introduced.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide in a Boehm system clarinet an improved finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism which will function with greater rapidity and precision, and which is particularly constructed and arranged to avoid the production of false notes or hesitancies which might otherwise result from a failure of the player to lift or to engage the selected fingers during the performance of such passages extending from one to the other register.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved operating mechanism for effecting a more precise and accurate operation of a specified tone hole covering 'lever and pad biased to open, which includes a rockable high speed connector having a broken actuating connection with said hole covering lever and pad, arranged when open to permit said lever and pad to open, a second overridng biasing means rocking said connector in a direction to hold said tone hole covering lever and pad closed; and Operating means for opening and closing said tone hole lever and pad which include a finger actuated key shiftable between pressed and raised positions and a motion acceleratng operator operable during a latter portion only of the press movement of said key to engage and to rock said high speed connector to fully release said tone hole lever and pad to open, and operable during a first portion only of the return movement of said finger actuated key to inoperative position to cause said high speed connector under the influence of said overriding bias to close said tone hole lever and pad.

With this and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear the features of the invention will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

PIG. 1 is a det'ail plan view of a portion of the first joint and attached second joint of a Bb clarinet illustrating portions of the finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of substantially the parts shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on a line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of portions of the finger control mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2 adapted for the production of bass note Bb; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view on an enlarged scale illustrating the relationship of the actuating arm on the finger hole rock shaft and the contact arm on the interposed control rock shaft by means of which an early and rapid closing of the Bb throat note `tone hole is efr'ected.

The invention is disclosed in the drawing as embodied in a Bb clarinet which is constructed and arranged in accordance with the Boehm system of fingering, and is furthcr provided with the finger control thraot note Bb producing mechanism of my prior patent, No. 2,867,146, above referred to. Only so much of the instrument is shown as is believed necessary to illnstrate the connection of the present invention therewith.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, there is shown the upper joint 20 of a Bb clarinet having the usual first, second and third finger holes 22, 24 and 26 left hand and finger rings 28 and 30 overlying the respective first and second finger holes. The disclosure also includes a portion of the lower joint 32, the first finger hole 34 right hand, associated finger hole ring 36, and a hole closing pad and lever 38 associated with the finger ring 36. The disclosure includes also the usual Gt tone hole 40 lower register, with its normally closed covering pad 42 and Gii finger actuated lever 44, together with the A tone hole 46 with the normally closed covering pad 48 and A finger actuated lever 50. The Gli lever 42 is normally held in its closed position by means of a spring 52. The A lever is normally held in a closed position by means of a spring 54.

Portions of the finger control note Bb producing mechanism which forms the subject matter of my prior patent above referred to are shown including the Bb tone hole 56, the normally closed covering pad 58, and the Bb supporting lever 60. The Bb lever 60 is secured to a rock shaft 62 which is supported between bearings formed in two posts 64 and 66. A separate control rock shaft 68 is mounted in alignment with the shaft 62, being supported between a bearing formed in the post 66 and a bearing formed in a post 70. A broken one-way connection is provided between the two shafts comprising an arm 72 on the rock shaft 52 and a cooperating arm 74 on the adjacent control rock shaft 68. A light torsion spring 76 fastened at one end to the underside of the shaft 62 and at its upper end to post 64 acts to bas the rock shaft 62, lever 60 and Bb pad 58 toward the open position, this tendency to open being normally opposed by a heavier bias exerted on the control rock shaft 68 and connections by means `of a torsion spring 78 connected at one end to the post 56 and at its other end to the rod 68. In accordance with the usual construction the finger ring 28 associated with the first finger hole 22 left hand is mounted on a lever 80 secured to a short rock shaft 82 supported between posts 66 and 70 and is adapted to control the position of a hole covering pad and lever 84. The spring 86 secured to the rock shaft 82 for engagernent with the post 66 acts to maintain the finger ring 28 and hole covering pad and lever 84 in their raised inoperative'position. Finger ring 30 which overlies the second finger hole 24 left hand is mounted on a lever 88 secured to a rock shaft 90 supported between bearings in post 70 and post 92 adjacent the right hand end of the joint. The finger 30 is arranged to operate a tone hole covering pad and lever 94 secured to the rock shaft 90'. Further in accordance with the usual construction the rock shaft 90 is con- 'nected with a rock shaft 96 rotatably supported on lower joint 32 bearings which include that provided by the post 98. Finger ring 36 associated with the first finger hole right hand 34 is mounted on a lever 100 secured to the rock shaft 96 which also carries a tone hole c-overing pad and lever 38 above referred to. An Operating connection is provided between rock shaft 96 in the lower joint and rock shaft 90 in the upper joint which comprises an arm 102 on -one end of the rock shaft 96 which engages an offset arm 104 attached to the adjacent end of the rock shaft 90. Base spring 106 attached to the rock shaft 90 for engagement with the post 70 biases the rock shaft 90, finger ring 30 and hole covering pad 94 normally to a raised inoperative position. It will be understood that in accordance with the usual construction of the Boehrn system clarinet, the closing of any one of the three first, second or third finger tone holes right hand Will depress a corresponding ring of which the ring 36 associated with tone hole 34, first finger right hand is an example, rocking the support shaft 96, and, tln'ough the operating connection 102, 104, correspondingly rocking the shaft 90.

There is also illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the usual thumb hole covering pad 110 and lever 112 supported on a short rock shaft 114 which is normally held in a raised open position by means of a spring, not specifically shown. The finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism referred to also includes positive stop devices which are rendered operative either by pressing the thumb hole pad 110 or the first tone hole ring 28 to lock the Bb lever 60 and c'overing pad 58 in the closed position thus to render the finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism inoperative. The mechanism generally shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 comprises an upwardly extending arm 116 secured to rock shaft 114 to move the thumb hole lever 112 and pad 110, and an arm 118 attached to the rock shaft 82 and arranged to overlie the arm 116. The arms 116 and 118 underlie one end of a lock lever 120 which extends longitudinally of the instrument supported intermediate its length on a pivot pin 122 and having the opposite end thereof overlying the Bb hole closing pad 58. The arrangement is such that the lock lever 120 is actuated by the prcssing of either the thumb hole pad 110, or finger ring 28 associated with the first finger hole 22 left hand, t-o lock the Bb lever 60 and covering pad 58 in the closed position, thus to render the finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism inoperative.

A novel Operating connection is provided between the finger ring rock shaft 90 forming a portion of the usual finger actuated tone hole closing and opening mechanism of the clarinet and the Bb producing lever 60 and associated rock shaft 62 for the actuation of the Bb lever. It will be noted that the rate of the rocking movement of the finger ring rock shaft 90 and consequent speed of opening and closing of the tone holes is governed by the finger technique of the operator. The rapidity with which any individual tone hole cover is raised and dropped to its closed position is roughly the same as the rate at which the finger is moved to open or to close any of the principal finger tone holes of the instrument.

As compared with the constructions of the prior art the control rock shaft 68 which provides an Operating connection between the finger ring rock shaft 90 and the Bb rock shaft 62 and Bb lever 60 is arranged as a high speed connector adapted to be rocked from the finger ring rock shaft 90 by a motion multiplying operator, which operates during the initial portion of a finger raising movement to effect the complete closing of the Bb tone hole, and conversely causes the Bb tone hole cover to open only during the final portion of the down movement of the actuating finger or fingers to the closed Bb playing position.

The control rock shaft 68 operates in a manner similar to that of my prior patent above noted to the extent that the rocking of said shaft against the bias of its relatively heavy spring 78 opens the broken connection with the Bb lever rock lshaft 62 which is now permitted to swing together with the Bb lever 60 and the hole covering pad 58, to a raised open position, assuming that neither the thumb hole pad nor first finger left hand finger ring 28 is pressed.

In the present construction, however, the function of the control rock shaft 68 has been modified and a novel Operating connection is provided between the control rock shaft 68 and the finger ring rock shaft 90 located in offset relation thereto which produces a substantially more precise and accurate operation of the clarinet during passages which extend from one to the other register of the instrument in either direction. Such passages may originate in the upper register and extend downwardly to include throat notes G or Gf, or oonversely may originate in the lower register and eXtend upwardly to include B third line of the staff and notes above in the upper register. It will be understood that the several advantages of the invention are obtained equally during the playing of passages which do, and which do not include Bb. The novel construction referred to as best shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 comprises an Operating arm 128 attached to the finger ring rock shaft 90 which is of substantial length and is provided with an offset end portion which engages with a very short contact arm 130 on the control rock shaft 68. For the normal inoperative position of the parts in which the finger rings are raised and the tone holes controlled thereby are closed, the actuating arm 128 is separated from the contact arm 130 by a substantial amount. As the finger ring 30, for example, is now pressed in combination with the A lever 50 to produce throat note Bb, the actuating arm 128 comes into contact with the contact arm 130 only after the finger ring 30 has moved two-thirds to three-quarters of the distance to its fully pressed position. Thereafter the continued movement of the actuating arm 128 causes the short arm 130 supported on the control rock shaft 68 to rotate much more rapidly -through a substantial angle which is sufiicient to permit the Bb rock shaft 62 and Bb lever 60, to rock rapidly and through a correspondingly substantial angle which is suficient to fully open the Bb tone hole 56. The extent of the rocking movement imparted to each of the actuating arm 128 and contact arm 130 and the relative extent of the movement imparted to the actuating arm 128 before engagement with the arm 128 before engagement with the contact element 130 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 7 from which it will be appreciated that very small movement only of the finger ring 30 to and from its fully pressed position is sufiicient to effect a very substantial rocking movement of the control rock shaft 68, the Bb rock shaft 62, and Bb lever 60 to open the Bb tone hole 56.

The operation of my improved finger control throat note Bb producing mechanism to avoid the production of false notes or hesitancies in passages extending from one to the other register is described more particularly as follows:

A descending sequence of notes is assumed including, for example, C and B in the upper register, and A, followed by the throat note G in -the lower register. In this sequence the throat note Bb must remain closed. With perfect finger technique the engaged fingers of the right hand will be lifted at the same time that the first finger of the left hand, and the thumb left hand are raised. In this case the rock shaft 90 and control shaft 68 are rocked to the Bb lever 60 closing position at the same time that the thumb hole lever 112, and finger hole ring 28 first finger left hand are raised thereby releasing the looking lever 120. If, however, as a result of sloppy or imperfect finger technique, the raising of any finger, right hand, or second finger, left hand, is delayed, Bb

lever 60 and pad 58 would tend to open producing the false note or hesitancy referred to. With the present ,construction in which the rock shaft 68 operates as a high speed connector operated by a motion multiplying operator consisting of parts 128, 130, the shaft 68 is rocked very rapidly to its Bb lever closing position before the Bb lever 60 and pad 58 actuated by the relatively weak spring 76 will have had time to open.

The playing of the throat note Bb in any sequence is facilitated by the fact that the control shaft 68 controlled by the motion multiplying connection 128, 130 is actuated only as the selected fingers other than the first finger left hand finish the movement to their hole closing positions `to very rapidly release the Bb lever rock shaft 62 and Bb lever and pad which are permitted to open.

The operation of my improved Bb producing mechanism for playing Bb in any sequence is made more pre- 'cise and certain for the reason that the control shaft 68 is rocked to release the Bb lever for movement to the open position only as the selected Operating finger or fingers approach the fully pressed position. The rocking motion to open position is then rapid and definite. Similarly a slight lifting movement only of the engaged Bb producing fingers is required to effect an equally rapid rocking movement of the control shaft 68 and Bb lever .controlled thereby to a fully closed inoperative position.

In general it may be stated that my improved Operating connection above described between the finger ring rock vshaft 90 and the Bb producing lever 60 and associated rock shaft 62 operates most etfectively to facilitate passages from notes B third line and upwards to A first line above the staff, in each instance moving down to either iopen G first line, Glt first line, lor A second space-also,

from the identically fingered notes in the lower register up to G, Glt land A. The slur down from anybof the first notesto any of these latter named notes is made far smoother and the danger of an int'ervening grace note or hesitancy is removed. This is effected by this mechvanism which allows the second ring and the interconnecting rings to not engage the lever which opens the Bb pad .until near the completion of their individual motions. `Conversely, on beginning to release the second ring and its interconnecting rings, the Bb pad is closed almost instantly a-t the beginning of the up motion of the ring.

The invention having been described, What is claimed is:

1. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering, the combination of a tone hole closing lever and pad, means biasing said tone hole closing lever and pad to open, a rockable high speed connector having a broken actuating connection with said tone hole closing lever arranged when open to permit said tone hole closing lever and pad to open, a second biasing means acting on said rockable high speed connector overriding said first biasing means to close said tone hole closing lever and pad, and operating means for opening and closing said tone hole lever and pad which includes a finger actuated key shiftable between pressed and normally raised positions, and a delayed action motion accelerating Operating connection between said key and said rockable high speed connector comprising an operator connected with said key operable during a latter portion only of the press movement of said key to engage and to rock said high speed connector to fully release said tone hole lever and pad to open, and operable during a first portion only of the return movement of said finger actuated key to inoperative. position to cau'se said high speed connector under the infiuence of said overriding bias to close said tone hole lever and pad.

2. A clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering according to claim 1 in which said Operating means for opening and closing said tone hole lever and pad comprises a rock shaft supporting said finger actuated key having its rotational axis offset from the rotational axis of said connector, a long radially extending actuating arm on said rock shaft, and a cooperatng relatively short radially .extending actuated arm on said connector adapted to be engaged by said long arm to shift said connector to the open position during a final portion only of the press movement of said key.

3. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering, the combination of Bb tone hole closing lever and pad, means biasing said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad to open, a rockable high speed connector having a broken actuating connection with said Bb tone hole closing lever arranged when opened to permit said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad to open, a second biasing means acting on said rockable high speed connector overriding said first biasing means to close said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad, a first finger actuated key shiftable between pressed and raised positions, a locking connection between said key and Bb tone hole closing lever and pad operative when said first finger actuated key is pressed to maintain said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad closed, `a second finger actuated key shiftable between pressed 'and normally raised positions, and a motion accelerating operator comprising a pivoted actuating element connected with said second key and an actuated element rotatable on a pivot offset from said first pivot and connected with said rockable high speed connector, said elements being engaged during a latter portion only of the press movement ofsaid second key to rock said high speed connector to fully release said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad to open, and operable during a first portion only of the return movement of said second key to inoperative position to cause said high speed connector under the influence of said overriding bias to close said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad.

4. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering with first, second and third holes for left and right hand and finger operated elements operable to produce the several tones of said clarinet including finger hole rings overlying a plurality of said finger holes including a second finger left hand finger hole ring, a tone hole closing lever, and a rock shaft on which said finger hole ring and tone hole closing lever -are shiftable between pressed tone hole closing positions and a raised inoperative position,

biasing means maintaining said rock shaft finger hole ring and tone hole covering lever inbthe normally raised inoperative position, the combination of a Bb producing mechanism including a Bb tone hole, a Bb lever and pad movable between open and closed positions to close said hole, a rock shaft supporting said Bb lever, means biasing said Bb lever and rock shaft to open position, a high speed Bb lever control shaft shiftable between Bb lever close and release positions, a one way connection between said Bb rock shaft and control shaft, and biasing means for said control shaft Ioverriding said Bb lever biasing means to close said Bb lever and tone hole, and a motion multiplying operator comprising a pivoted actuating element connected with said finger ring rock shaft, and an actuated element mounted on a pivot offset from said first pivot and |connected with said high speed Bb lever control shaft operative said elements acting during a latter portion only of the tone hole press rocking movement of said finger hole rock shaft to shift said high speed Bb control rock shaft to Bb lever release position.

5. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering with first, second and third holes for left and right hand and finger operated elements operable to produce the several tones of said clarinet including finger hole rings overlying a plurality of said finger holes including a second finger left hand finger hole ring, a tone hole closing lever, and a rock shaft on which said second finger left hand finger hole ring and tone hole closing lever are shiftable between pressed tone hole closing positions' and a normally raised inoperative position, biasing means maintaining said rock shaft finger hole ring and tone hole covering lever in the normally raised inoperative position, the combination of a Bb producing mechanism including a Bb tone hole, a Bb lever and pad movable between open and normally closed positions to close said hole, a rock shaft supporting said Bb lever, means biasing said Bb lever and rock shaft to open position, a high speed Bb lever control shaft shiftable between Bb lever close and release positions, a one way connection between said Bb rock shaft and control shaft, and biasing means for said control shaft overriding said Bb lever biasing means to close said Bb lever and tone hole, and a motion multiplying operator connecting said finger ring rock shaft with said high speed Bb lever control shaft comprising an actuator arm on said finger hole rock shaft, and a contact arm on said control rock shaft, said arms being constructed and arranged so that the actuator arm engages said contact arm during a latter portion vonly of the press movement of the finger hole ring and actuator arm, and thereafter rotates said contact arm control rock shaft and Bb lever at a relatively rapid rate from the closed to the open position.

6. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering, the combination of a tone hole, a tone hole closing lever and pad movable between a normal hole closing position and an alternative raised hole open position, a finger actuated key pivotally mounted for movement between a normally raised position and an alternative finger pressed position, biasing means normally operative to maintain said tone hole closing lever closed and said finger actuated key raised, and a delayed action motion accelerating operating connection between said finger actuated key and said tone hole closing lever and pad which comprises a relatively long radially extending actuating arm rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally of said clarinet and operatively connected with said finger actuated key for rocking movement therewith, and a cooperating relatively short radially extending actuated arm rotatable about an axis eXtending longitudinally of said clarinet offset from said first-mentioned axis and operatively connected with said tone hole closing lever and pad between open and hole closing positions, said short actuated arm being constructed and arranged to be engaged by said long arm to Shift said tone hole closing lever and pad to an open position during a final portion only of the press movement of said key and long arm connected for rocking movement therewith.

7. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering, the combination of a tone hole, a tone hole closing lever and pad having a normally closed position and an alternative tone hole open position, a finger actuated key having a normally raised and an alternative finger pressed position, Operating connections between said normally closed tone hole closing lever and said normally raised finger actuated key, which comprise a rock shaft operatively connected with said finger actuated key for rocking movement therewith between said normally raised and finger pressed positions, a second rock shaft offset axially from said first rock shaft and operatively connected with said tone hole closing lever and pad to effect a rocking movement of said lever and pad between said normally closed and open positions, and a delayed action high-speed operating connection between said rock shafts comprising a relatively long radially extending actuating arm on said latter rock shaft, and a cooperating relatively short radially extending actuated arm on said first-mentioned rock shaft adapted to be engaged by said long arm to shift said tone hole closing lever and pad to an open position during the final portion only of the press movement of said key and long actuating arm connected thereto, and to shift said tone hole closing lever and pad to the closed position during the start only of the release upward movement of said key and long actuating arm.

8. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering with first, second and third finger tone holes for left and right hands, and finger operated elements operable to produce the several tones of said clarinet, the combination of a Bb tone hole, a Bb tone hole closing lever and pad movable between a normal tone hole closing and an alternative hole open position, a rockable finger actuated key having a normally raised and an alternative finger pressed position, and a delayed action motion accelerating Operating connection between said Bb lever and said finger actuated key which comprises a pivoted actuating element having a contact surface movable along a path of substantial radius, means operatively connecting said actuating element for rocking movement with said finger actuated key, an actuated element rotatable about a pivot offset from said first-mentioned pivot and having a contact surface movable along a path of relatively short radius, means connecting said actuated element and said Bb lever for rocking said Bb lever between closed and open positions, said actuating element being positioned with relation to said actuated element to be rendered operative by a rocking movement of said actuating element to engage said contact surfaces and to effect a movement of said actuated element and said Bb lever therewith from closed to open position during a final portion only of the press movement of said key and actuated element connected therewith and at an accelerated rate.

9. In a clarinet having the Boehm system of fingering with first, second and third finger tone holes for left and right hand, and finger operated elements operable to produce the several tones of said clarinet including finger hole rings overlying a plurality of said finger holes, the combination of a Bb tone hole, a Bb tone hole closing lever and pad movable between a normal hole closing position and an alternative raised hole open position, a first finger left hand finger hole ring movable between normally raised and finger pressed positions, a locking connection between said first finger left hand finger hole ring and said Bb tone hole closing lever operative when said first finger hole ring left hand is pressed to maintain said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad closed, an additional finger hole ring overlying a second finger tone hole shiftable between normally raised and finger pressed positions, and a delayed action motion accelerating, yieldably acting Operating connection between said latter finger hole ring and said Bb tone hole closing lever and pad which comprises an actuating element supported for rocking movement about a pivot and operatively connected with said latter finger hole ring for rocking movement therewith, an actuated element supported for rocking movement about a second pivot olfset from said first pivot, said actuating and actuated elements having contact surfaces rendered operative by a rocking movement of said actuating element to effect a movement of said actuated element only during a final portion of the press movement of said latter finger hole ring and actuating element connected therewith and at lan ac-celerated rate, |and Bb Operating connections between said actuated element and said Bb lever including a yieldable connection rendered operative by the rocking movement of said latter finger hole ring and .actuator element biasing said Bb lever and pad to open.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,8*32,250 4/58 Leblanc 84--382 2,867,l46 1/59 MaZZeo 84-382 3,l50,553 9/64 MaZZeo 84-382 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN A CLARINET HAVING THE BEOHM SYSTEM OF FINGERING, THE COMBINATION OF A TONE HOLE CLOSING LEVER AND PAD, MEANS BIASING SAID TONE HOLE CLOSING LEVER AND PAD TO OPEN, A ROCKABLE HIGH SPEED CONNECTOR HAVING A BROKEN ACTUATING CONNECTION WITH SAID TONE HOLE CLOSING LEVER ARRANGED WHEN OPEN TO PERMIT SAID TONE HOLE CLOSING LEVER AND PAD TO OPEN, A SECOND BIASING MEANS ACTING ON SAID ROCKABLE HIGH SPEED CONNECTOR OVERRIDING SAID FIRST BIASING MEANS TO CLOSE SAID TONE HOLE CLOSING LEVER AND PAD, AND OPERATING MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID TONE HOLE LEVER AND PAD WHICH INCLUDES A FINGER ACTUATED KEY SHIFTABLE BETWEEN PRESSED AND NORMALLY RAISED POSITIONS, AND A DELAYED ACTION MOTION ACCELERATING OPERATING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID KEY AND SAID ROCKABLE HIGH SPEED CONNECTOR COMPRISING AN OPERATOR CONNECTOR WITH SAID KEY OPERABLE DURING A LATTER PORTION ONLY OF THE PRESS MOVEMENT OF SAID KEY TO ENGAGE AND TO ROCK SAID HIGH SPEED CONNECTOR TO FULLY RELEASE SAID TONE HOLE LEVER AND PAD TO OPEN, AND OPERABLE DURING A FIRST PORTION ONLY OF THE RETURN MOVEMENT OF SAID FINGER ACTUATED KEY TO INOPERATIVE POSITION TO CAUSE SAID HIGH SPEED CONNECTOR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID OVERRIDING BIAS TO CLOSE SAID TONE HOLE LEVER AND PAD. 